


Tragic Character Flaws and Other Adventures in Shower Stalls

by zarabithia



Category: Avengers (Comic), Marvel 616, Young Avengers
Genre: Community: comment fic, Community: fanfic100, F/M, dark reign
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-12
Updated: 2010-04-12
Packaged: 2017-10-26 13:24:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/283683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarabithia/pseuds/zarabithia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of a hard battle, Bucky and Kate have some shower fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tragic Character Flaws and Other Adventures in Shower Stalls

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompts: backrubs in the shower @ comment_fic and insides @ fanfic100

A lot of heroes tried to argue that there was a world of difference between training and actual battle, but Kate knew better. Certainly the stakes were higher, but that was where the differences ended.

At the end of a long training session, she could either be refreshed and ready to go another sparring round with her super-soldier serum-enhanced teammate and ex-boyfriend, or she could be so drop-dead exhausted that you barely had the strength to kiss her current boyfriend goodnight before collapsing into bed.

Battles were a lot like that. Some days she and her team got lucky, and all they had to deal with was a stray scumbag trying to hold up a gas station. On those days, Kate returned to Avengers Mansion with the distinct feeling that something was wrong; saving innocent gas station attendants certainly lined up with why she became a hero, but something was still _missing_.

Other days brought alien invasions, Namor changing his allegiance - _again_ \- or the not-at-all-infrequent supervillain team-up. Those battles required you to be sharp on your feet, unless you were aiming for suicide, but occasionally Kate would glance around at the rest of the heroes and wonder if any of them felt the same thrill when the stakes were this high.

She'd tried once to bring it up to Bobbi and another time to Clint. They'd waved it off as "adrenaline," which Kate didn't think even began to describe the enjoyment she got from a high-stakes battle. But their reactions were better than her teammates, who had simply looked at her blankly, in a way that made it clear to Kate that they didn't get where she was coming from at all.

Kate could deal with her teammates and mentors not understanding. She was pretty sure it wasn't a normal - or particularly _healthy_ \- reaction.

She was also pretty sure that slinking into the Avengers showers with every part of her insides throbbing in pain from the battle shouldn't leave her feeling so damn satisfied, either.

But satisfaction alone couldn't keep her on her feet when the muscles in her back felt like they'd been ripped out and twisted into a dozen knots before being shoved back into place. So she was quite grateful for Bucky's presence in the shower with her, because it let her lean lazily against the shower stall in the guise of receiving Bucky's back rub.

For his part, Bucky pretended not to notice. For her part, Kate greedily soaked up both the hot water and the warmth-inducing movements of her boyfriend's hands.

"I was thinking," she murmured lazily against her hand, pressed against the shower wall.

"That's good, because I was beginning to worry that I'd put you to sleep," Bucky retorted.

"Sleep really wasn't what I was thinking at all," Kate answered. "I was thinking more along the lines of 'I hope Jarvis cleans these stalls really well.' Which led me to think about what I could be leaning on if he doesn't, considering who some of our teammates are..."

"Ew," Bucky exclaimed, but his hands were steady on her back, even as the rest of him shook with laughter.

Being a former World War II sidekick turned brain-washed Russian assassin tended to give him a warped sense of humor. It was just one of the things Kate appreciated about him.

Well, that and the back rubs.

"And really, it doesn't seem fair that our teammates have had such a good time in these stalls and we have yet to fully explore what they have to offer."

"That sounds completely unfair," Bucky agreed enthusiastically. His hands slipped only slightly lower, massaging circles into her lower back. "And I know how you can't stand unfairness..."

"It's a tragic character flaw," Kate agreed. She turned around and pressed up against him, smiling triumphantly up at him as she felt his enthusiasm press against her.

"One of many I adore," Bucky retorted, brushing the wet hair away from her face. "You do know anyone could walk in on us, right?"

"Stakes of the battle were pretty high," Kate said breezily, "The stakes of my reward should be too."

Bucky was wise enough not to argue, and he was gentlemanly enough to block the water showering down on them as Kate wrapped her legs around him and claimed her reward.  



End file.
